Plastic blow molded freestanding container

In a plastic blow molded container having a central axis A and including a cylindrical body portion that extends vertically about the central axis A with a diameter D, an upper end closure unitary with the upper extremity of the cylindrical body portion and including a dispensing spout, and a freestanding base structure unitary with the cylindrical body portion to close the lower extremity thereof, said freestanding base structure comprising:

• a plurality of downwardly projecting hollow legs spaced circumferentially from each other with respect to the body portion;
• each leg having a lower flat foot coplanar with the feet of the other legs to cooperate therewith in supporting the container in an upright position;
• each lower flat foot having a truncated wedge shape;
• the lower flat feet having an outer diameter D' that is at least 0.75 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion to provide good stability against tipping;
• each leg also having an outer wall that extends from the outer extremity of the flat foot thereof to the cylindrical body portion;
• the outer wall of each leg having a curved shape with a radius of curvature R.sub.w greater than 0.75 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion and including an upper end that is tangent with the adjacent portion of the lower extremity of the cylindrical body portion;
• the flat foot and the outer wall of each leg having an abruptly curved junction with a radius of curvature R.sub.j less than 0.05 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion;
• each leg also having a planar inner connecting portion that is inclined and extends upwardly and inwardly from the inner extremity of the flat foot thereof;
• and each leg also having a pair of side walls that cooperate with the flat foot, the outer wall and the planar inner connecting portion to close the leg;
• a plurality of curved ribs spaced circumferentially from each other between the downwardly projecting legs and connecting the adjacent side walls of the legs;
• each rib having an outer upper end that has a circumferential width W.sub.u and extends upwardly for connection to the cylindrical body portion of the container;
• each rib also having an inner lower end located between the inner connecting portions of the legs on opposite sides thereof;
• the inner lower end of each rib having a circumferential width W.sub.l that is larger than the circumferential width W.sub.u of the outer upper end of the rib;
• each rib also having a curved intermediate portion that extends between the outer upper and inner lower ends thereof with an outwardly convex shape;
• the curved intermediate portion of each rib having a circumferential width that tapers from the inner lower end thereof to the outer upper end thereof with an included angle in the range of about 1.degree. to 8.degree.;
• and each rib having a radius of curvature R.sub.r greater than about 0.6 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion and with a center of curvature on the opposite side of the central axis A from the rib and extending downwardly and inwardly from toward the central axis A of the container;
• and
• a generally round hub that is located along the central axis A with the legs and curved ribs extending radially therefrom;
• said hub having a periphery with a diameter D.sub.h in the range of about 0.15 to 0.25 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion;
• the periphery of the hub also having connections to the upwardly extending planar inner connecting portions of the legs and to the downwardly extending inner lower ends of the curved ribs;
• the periphery of the hub being spaced above the plane of the flat feet of the legs by a height H.sub.p ;
• and the ratio of the diameter D.sub.f over the height H.sub.p being in the range of about 25 to 90.

In a plastic blow molded container having a central axis A and including a cylindrical body portion that extends vertically about the central axis A with a diameter D and has a nominal wall thickness t, an upper end closure unitary with the upper extremity of the cylindrical body portion and including a dispensing spout, and a freestanding base structure unitary with the cylindrical body portion to close the lower extremity thereof, said freestanding base structure comprising:

• a plurality of downwardly projecting hollow legs spaced circumferentially from each other with respect to the body portion;
• each leg having a lower flat foot coplanar with the feet of the other legs to cooperate therewith in supporting the container in an upright position;
• each lower flat foot having a truncated wedge shape;
• the lower flat feet having an outer diameter D.sub.f that is at least 0.75 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion to provide good stability against tipping;
• each leg also having an outer wall that extends from the outer extremity of the flat foot thereof to the cylindrical body portion;
• the outer wall of each leg having a curved shape with a radius of curvature R.sub.w greater than 0.75 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion and including an upper end that is tangent with the adjacent portion of the lower extremity of the cylindrical body portion;
• the flat foot and the outer wall of each leg having an abruptly curved junction with a radius of curvature R.sub.j less than 0.05 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion;
• each leg also having a planar inner connecting portion that is inclined and extends upwardly and inwardly from the inner extremity of the flat foot thereof;
• and each leg also having a pair of side walls that cooperate with the flat foot, the outer wall and the planar inner connecting portion to close the leg;
• a plurality of curved ribs spaced circumferentially from each other between the downwardly projecting legs and connecting the adjacent side walls of the legs;
• each rib having an outer upper end that has a circumferential width W.sub.u and extends upwardly for connection to the cylindrical body portion of the container;
• each rib also having an inner lower end located between the inner connecting portions of the legs on opposite sides thereof and extending downwardly and inwardly toward the central axis A of the container;
• the inner lower end of each rib having a circumferential width W.sub.l that is larger than the circumferential width W.sub.u of the outer upper end of the rib;
• each rib also having a curved intermediate portion that extends between the outer upper and inner lower ends thereof with an outwardly convex shape;
• the curved intermediate portion of each rib having a circumferential width that tapers from the inner lower end thereof to the outer upper end thereof with an included angle in the range of about 1.degree. to 8.degree.;
• and each rib having a radius of curvature R.sub.r greater than about 0.6 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion and with a center of curvature on the opposite side of the central axis A from the rib;
• a generally round hub that is located along the central axis A with the legs and curved ribs extending radially therefrom;
• said hub having a periphery with a diameter D.sub.h in the range of about 0.15 to 0.25 of the diameter D of the cylindrical body portion;
• the periphery of the hub also having connections to the upwardly extending planar inner connecting portions of the legs and to the downwardly extending inner lower ends of the curved ribs;
• the periphery of the hub being spaced above the plane of the flat feet of the legs by a height H.sub.p ;
• and the ratio of the diameter D.sub.f over the height H.sub.p being in the range of about 25 to 90;
• the inner extremities of the flat feet, the planar inner connecting portions of the legs, the inner lower ends of the curved ribs, and the hub each having a wall thickness t' that is at least 1.7 times the nominal wall thickness t of the cylindrical body portion.